My chances at a US School!

Student Lounge International Students
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<p>I am an Indian (intn'l Student) in grade 11.</p>

<p>Have a good academic record, top of my class, 10.0 CGPA in class 10 boards. straight A+(s) so far.</p>

<p>Plan to take the SAT in Oct, have been preparing for them, expect a good score 2100+ (first attempt..maybe my estimates are off)</p>

<p>Have some extracurriculars : Asst Head boy of school, will run for head boy next year
chief-Editor of school magazine
Have won two national level quizzes in grade 9 and 10. Plus several inter-school, state-levels
Have also won several debates, declamations, essay writing contests.</p>

<p>Have been involved in organizing several competitions, cultural events in school, have exhibited leadership and organisational capabilities. Probably will get good letters of recommendation from teachers.</p>

<p>I know my profile isn't stellar..but it is what it is.</p>

<p>Intend to study subjects like mol biology, biochem, chem-bio engineering, biotech
Also intend to pursue MD/Phd after undergrad studies.</p>

<p>I'd love to attend an Ivy School or premier universities like Caltech, MIT, Univ Calif Berkely.</p>

<p>What are my chances here?</p>

<p>Also suggest some 'fail safe' schools..(I really doubt i'll make it in any of the above)</p>

<p>Oh Will also need Financial Aid (totally wrecks my chances doesn't it? :) ) Lots of FA</p>

<p>Personal Qualities: Well I take initiative, have been academically inclined and diligent and hard working..and would almost do anything to make it at the top univs.</p>

<p>SO anyway..fire away.what are my chances?</p>

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<p>Another chance thread, eh? Don’t worry, I do it all the time too. I feel better when someone tells me I have a chance in a specific college. :)</p>

<p>Getting to the point, your grades are pretty good! Make sure you continue this streak throughout 11th and 12th. Alot of people’s grade goes down in 11th. Are you going to graduate from 12th in 2013 or 2014? As in, what year will you be applying?</p>

<p>Also, you have made a good choice to take the SAT now. Its better to take it once (maybe even twice) before you come to grade 12, so you don’t have to focus on boards and all, and you can get it over with before.</p>

<p>Your EC’s are good, but do you have any experience or achievements in playing sports or an instrument? That can also give a good overall impression and profile.</p>

<p>CalTech, MIT, and UC-Berkeley are EXTREMELY selective. You can never have a good chance of getting in. Your scores, ec’s, essays, and a fair amount of luck can get you in. But there are a lot of other schools that are also very good. Make sure to look at those too, like UIUC, GA Tech, Stanford (again extremely selective), UC’s, etc.</p>

<p>Anyways, All the best, and keep checking here every few days and you’ll find a lot of information, from people who know a whole lot better than me!</p>

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<p>@anvesh95</p>

<p>I am aware that they are very selective…one major reason i am on the verge of ****ing in my pants and crying like a baby</p>

<p>No sports. I know how to play the guitar but No achievements to show for it.</p>

<p>Guitar is a hobby, plus i am not very good at it. I also do some photography and write a blog…but again haven’t really won competitions or anything…I could have but never really to initiative or maybe chikcen-ed out</p>

<p>Is it necessary to have competed or won in (sports/instrument category)…the other ec’s i listed are the ones where I have won something or the other.</p>

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<p>I have just started with 11th, I will go to 12th next year…and I will probably apply next year itself.</p>

<p>Do i need 12th board marks to apply…cause i was told i did not.</p>

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<p>^ No you don’t. You apply while you’re still in 12th, unless you’re taking a gap year of course.</p>

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<p>Yeah so i will apply next year…start college in 2014.</p>

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<p>Since your in 11th, you have almost a year and a half to make yourself more presentable. by this, I am referring to extra curriculars. :)</p>

<p>Try to score as well as you can in 11th , like above 85%. This gives a good impression that you can keep your grades up through high school.</p>

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<p>anvesh95…what kind of ec’s do u recommend ?</p>

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<p>amoghsood: If you haven’t achieved anything in your EC, talk about it in your essay.</p>

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<p>Ahh That could work!</p>

<p>:)</p>

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<p>Okay can anyone give me some ‘fail safe’ colleges??</p>

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<p>There are actually no fail safe colleges for someone who needs FA. You could be accepted at Harvard and rejected at Drexel.</p>

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<p>WoW, that seems a bit harsh? That bad, huh?</p>

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<p>But seriously, I may need some ‘fail safe’ colleges, by which I mean place where my chances of admission are slightly higher.</p>

<p>And please can someone tell me whether my EC’s are sufficient, or should I do more stuff?</p>

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<p>If you target some lower tier colleges, you’ll have a decent chance of getting a decent scholarship.</p>

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<p>Okay.</p>

<p>Could you maybe name a few?</p>

<p>Should I apply to premier univiers and colleges or should I give them a skip altogether (i mean if I don’t stand a chance)</p>

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<p>UW Madison, Gatech, UIUC, and some other lesser-known public universities will give you scholarships if you apply early. </p>

<p>Also, some smaller private universities (the likes of Hofstra, Drexel, the types that contact you when College Board gives out your email to mailing lists) give out stat based scholarships.</p>

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<p>So should I apply to say more well-known universities, like the ones I listed above?</p>

<p>Or give them a skip and just apply to school were I might get admitted and FA</p>

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<p>If you don’t apply, you have no chance. </p>

<p>If you apply, you have a chance, however small it may be.</p>

<p>Decide what’s better.</p>

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<p>Fees in the UK are usually lower, and the degrees are three years compared to four in the US. There are some great UK universities.</p>

<p>Apart from Oxford and Cambridge, you have UCL and Imperial College, which are both amongst the top 10 universities in the world. Look into it, especially since financial aid is an issue for you.</p>